


Merlin Babysits Agents not Babies

by anarchycox



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babysitting, Fluff, M/M, Merlin has always known roxy, soft fic, the merlahad is more background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21978493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: A mission comes up and Percival has to be sent out but he is watching his niece Roxy. With no other choice Merlin offers to watch her, and thus starts a long relationship.
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Merlin
Comments: 37
Kudos: 162
Collections: 2019 Kingsman Stocking Stuffers





	Merlin Babysits Agents not Babies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MHMoony](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MHMoony/gifts).



> Messed with timelines a bit here, and it is unedited, my apologies for mistakes, but I hope you enjoy this softness.

“Agent, I am sorry, I do not understand.”

“I am pretty sure that you understand the word no, Merlin.”

“I do, and I generally ignore it. That is why you have those glasses that have saved your life, because Chester refused the budget expenditure, and I ignored the no.”

“Just like I am ignoring your edict, right now,” Percival replied. “I can’t go on a mission tonight.”

“Percival, your skills are needed.” Merlin paused when he heard a giggle. “Agent, your telly is loud.”

“My niece is perfectly volumed, thank you, and the reason that I cannot do the mission tonight.” 

Merlin cursed in several languages. “Percival, Jorgens is in London for the next 9 hours.” He was met with silence. “You are the one who knows him best, can bring him down. You and my assistant -” Merlin paused. “Right. There we go, I will babysit, because this mission would be run by him anyways since he has the feel of it.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, you will deliver your niece to my flat, and proceed with the mission.”

“Merlin, all due respect, she is not yet four,” Percival said, clearly trying to be as diplomatic as was possible, “and I do not know if you are accustomed to four year olds.”

“I deal with Harry on a daily basis. Other than the gin, is there much difference between he and this niece creature?”

“Point, but still.”

“Agent, I swear that if this was not a chance we had been waiting years for, I would leave you be. You know how he goes to ground. I promise that your niece will be safe with me for the five or so hours this will take you.”

“Understood. Location of your flat please.”

For a moment, Merlin paused. He seldom gave out his address to people, and it caused him some pain to expose himself like this, but he was asking much of Percival, and he could give a bit of himself. He gave the address and cut the connection to head over. He gave everything he had to his assistant and headed home. He was pretty sure that if she was almost four little childproofing would be needed. He hoped that anyways.

He also hoped that Percival would be providing resources to entertain the child. There was not much in his flat that would suit a little girl. He hurried home and checked the flat out. There was food at least that should appeal to a child. Pasta, he was sure children liked pasta, and he had some biscuits. 

Merlin was not panicking at being in charge of a child.

The buzzer sounded, and he let them in. The knock on the door was recognizable as Percival’s and he opened the door. He had to blink to process the image of a child and not a sniper rifle in Percival’s arms. “Oliver, who is this lovely lass?”

“Roxy,” she glared at him. “My Oliver time.”

“I am sorry to have interrupted it,” Merlin explained, “I wouldn’t have if it could have been avoided.” She continued to glare at him, and it was a very thunderous look. “I am,” Shit, he couldn’t call himself Merlin. First his location, and now his name given up. “I am Kelly.”

“Stupid name,” she said.

“Excuse me, I know you are upset, and I am too, but that is incredibly rude and now Kelly is not going to give you a single biscuit while you are visiting with him.” Percival turned her and stared her straight in the eye. “Manners Maketh Roxanne.”

“Yes, Uncle Oliver.” When she was put down she looked up at Merlin. “Sorry your name is stupid.”

Merlin did not laugh. “I am too, to be fair. Not like I picked it.” He looked to his agent. “She will be safe.”

“I know,” Percival replied and gave him a bag. “No biscuits due to rudeness.”

Merlin took Roxy into his flat and checked out the bag. A blanket and stuffed woodland creature, a couple movies, thank christ, and some books. He lead her to the living room. “Well then,” he looked at her.

“Well then,” she looked right back at him.

They stood there just staring at each other.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed of them just staring, standing perfectly still, not wanting to give the other person any quarter, when there was a knock on the door.

“He came back!” she shouted and bolted for the door. She had three of his locks already undone which was pretty fucking impressive, but she couldn’t reach the highest one no matter how she was jumping.

“No,” Merlin said firmly.

“But Uncle Oliver.”

“That was not his knock.”

That caused her to pause. “Everyone knocks the same. Fist going bang bang bang.” She demonstrated against the door. The other side knocked back in return.

Merlin knew who it was but they could wait. He couldn’t stop himself from teaching a bit. “That is not where your uncle knocks on the door. He is very much a center knocker, right about here.” He knocked on the door. The other knock sounded again. “See, that came from the right. Your uncle is left handed he would never knock that far over. Plus he is a simple one two three knock, same amount of time between the raps. That was a one two pause three four. Everyone has a way they knock on the door, learn it so you can recognize if it is friend or foe.”

“What if it is pizza?”

“They ring.”

“Huh,” she knocked and there was a knock back. “Do you know the knock?”

“I do,” Merlin said and finished unlocking the door. “Harry, I am babysitting tonight.”

Harry looked down at the child. “You have Oliver’s nose.”

“He’s my uncle.”

Luckily Harry was quick at putting pieces together. “I see. Well may I join the party?”

“We aren’t having a party, he’s boring.”

“You’ve been here ten minutes, that is not enough time to assess whether I am boring.” Merlin was oddly offended.

“You are a little, but I love you anyways,” Harry came in and kissed his jaw. “I however am very much not boring,” he said. “Shall we play?”

“Play what? There are no toys.”

“My dear, anything can be a toy if you have the imagination for it.”

Fuck, was all Merlin could think.

*

“Harry, I’m here!” Roxy was banging on Merlin’s door hard. “Harry!”

Merlin sighed. Babysitting was supposed to be a one off. Three years later, it seemed he and Harry watched Roxy every few months. In his flat, even though she liked Harry best. They never met at Harry’s because god forbid that Harry have to clean up the mess he and Roxy created. Merlin opened the door. “I’m sorry, lass, but Harry isn’t here yet.”

“Oh,” she frowned at him. “So just you?”

“Indeed.”

“Fine,” she gave a rather impressive sigh that she shouldn’t manage until she was a teenager. “When will he be here?”

“Soon enough I am sure,” Merlin said. He hoped. He and Roxy tolerated each other at best. “I have sauce simmering.”

“Yay.” 

She went to the couch and he let her. He was in the kitchen checking on everything when she came in. “You haven’t decorated for Christmas.”

“No.”

“Are you a grinch, I would figure you are a grinch,” she sat on one of the stools.

“Or I work a great deal, and haven’t had a chance to decorate yet,” he said.

“It is December 20th, when were you planning to do it, if not by now?”

Merlin pulled the step stool out of the broom cupboard and reached onto a top shelf. He plopped down a Christmas serving dish. “There, I decorated.”

“Harry probably hates that you don’t decorate.”

“Harry understands my personality and I understand his.” Merlin put the water on to boil.

“You mean that you don’t have one?”

Merlin couldn’t say why that cut so deep, but it did. He carefully made sure that all the heat was turned to low. “Excuse me,” he said softly and went to the bedroom. He sat on the edge of the bed and breathed. He knew he was on borrowed time with Harry, even if the borrowed time was approaching 7 years now. But still, one day, Harry would be bored and walk away, and even a child could see it.

He heard heavy footsteps, and then Harry was crouching in front of him. “Roxy is crying?”

“Why? She didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”

“Do you know why she doesn’t like you?”

“I’m not very likable,” Merlin said.

“No, no, you are immensely likable,” Harry chided, “It is because the first few babysitting times were you taking her beloved Oliver away. And maybe just maybe one day he wouldn’t pick her up.”

“She doesn’t know what he does.”

“My dear, children worry about car accidents, and mishaps, and alien abductions. It wasn’t about him being a spy, it was about whatever her imagination created, and she hasn’t been able to let go of that.” Harry cupped his cheek. “She doesn’t hate you.”

“She was right, I don’t have much of a personality.” Merlin looked at him. “I didn’t even decorate for Christmas.”

“How much money did you give to charity?”

“Most of my December salary,” Merlin admitted.

“You aren’t the frippery sort, you carry it in here.” Harry pressed his hand against Merlin’s heart. “You carry so much in there, you don’t even see. I provide our flash my love, you provide the structure.”

“Don’t ever leave me,” Merlin begged.

“Now I may be a fool, as you often say, but I am not an idiot. Why would I ever give you up?” Harry pulled him to standing. “She is a child. She doesn’t mean it.”

“Still hurts.”

“Maybe you should show her that.”

Merlin nodded and let Harry guide him out. Roxy was curled into the corner of the couch and her eyes were red. Merlin sat next to her. “Hello.”

“Hi,” she replied. “I’m sorry.”

“Roxy, do you know the saying ‘children should be seen and not heard?’?”

Roxy nodded. “Mummy’s cousin says it all the time.”

“I heard it a lot growing up,” Merlin explained. He had never even told Harry this. “There were consequences if I was heard. So I hid. In books, and later computers. I was quiet. So very quiet, and that became just my personality. If you aren’t heard, you aren’t hurt.”

“I hurt you.”

“You did.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry that I haven’t been able to be more like Harry with you.”

“Two Harry’s would be a lot.”

Merlin gave a bit of a laugh. “It would be so much.” He looked at her. “Roxy, would you help me decorate a bit for Christmas?”

She nodded. “You look like you would like blue and silver stuff for Christmas?”

“That could be interesting,” Merlin agreed.

Harry clapped his hands together. “Shopping trip!”

Fuck, was all Merlin could think, but he went to turn off the stove.

*

Roxy’s knock was on the door. Merlin opened it with a smile, the wreath swaying on the door as he pulled it open. “Bloody hell, you grew again.” 

“I did,” she smiled. When she hugged him, he hugged her back. “You know I don’t actually need babysitting anymore, Uncle Oliver just worries.”

“Sometimes, it is wise to indulge people.”

“Plus, means we get to spend time together.”

“Aye, lass it does at that.”

They went into the flat that was decorated for Christmas, restrained and simple, but lovely. There was a small tree, and garland on the mantel. It smelled like mulled cider, and there were extra fairy lights along the window. “Cider?”

“Please,” she said. They settled on the couch and watched White Christmas. “A boy asked me to go to the arcade.”

“I see,” he said calmly. She wasn’t yet thirteen it was far too soon for that sort of thing, wasn’t it? “What’s his name?” He’d have the boy’s genetic code by tomorrow.

“I said no,” she replied. “Boys are smelly.” Merlin made a show of sniffing his pit. “You aren’t a boy, you are a you.”

“Fair,” he smiled a bit. “Why’d you say no?”

“Because he isn’t his sister?” Roxy was looking at him carefully. “She wears her hair in a french braid with butterflies in it.”

“That sounds quite charming.” Merlin would know the girl’s genetic code by tomorrow.

“That’s okay?”

“I mean I’d wear dragonflies in my hair but to each their own.”

Roxy stared at his shaved head. “You are the first I told that too.”

“I will keep your trust.”

Roxy leaned over and hugged his arm. “I know you will.”

They both heard Harry. “Right, I have Roxy’s hedgehog for her Christmas gift, where are we storing it?”

“A hedgehog?” she looked at Merlin. “What the -”

Fuck, was all Merlin thought.

*

He sat in his office and was monitoring two missions and keeping an eye on the candidates. The missions were quiet and he decided to listen in on the candidates.

“Little sister,” Eggsy said. “She is who I’m missing most. Still young enough don’t understand Christmas yet, but would like to have been there to spoil her.”

“Oh what would you have stolen for her?” Charlie asked.

“Shut up, Charlie.” Merlin smiled that Roxy and Eggsy said that in sync.

“But guess, I’ll stay by Harry, be nice if he woke up for Christmas miracle.”

“Harry?” Roxy frowned. “You know Harry?”

Fuck.

“Yeah,” Eggsy was looking at her. “You know Harry?”

“Might be a different Harry. Of course it is,” Roxy smiled. “The Harry I know is a tail -” Her mouth snapped shut and she stared at the camera up in the corner. She didn’t take her eyes off the camera. “What do you mean wake up?”

“Well, Harry, my Harry is in a coma or something. They don’t really know. Roxy where are you going?” Eggsy called after her as she ran out of the room.

Merlin quickly handed over the missions to his assistant and met her in the hallway. She saw him and ran into his arms. “Kelly.” She squeezed tight. Merlin saw that Eggsy had hurried after her and was looking at them in shock. “Kelly, is Harry hurt?”

“Aye.”

“Where?”

“Come along,” Merlin replied. He nodded to Eggsy who followed them to Harry’s medical room. Roxy started to weep a bit when she saw him. “I know lass. I keep telling him to wake up, but he isn’t listening to me.”

Roxy sat down and took his hand. “You have to wake up, Harry. You cannot leave your husband like this.”

“Husband, what the fuck?” Eggsy was looking at them in shock. “Harry’s married.”

“We never made it official, Chester would have sanctioned one of us if we ever took that step,” Merlin said.

Eggsy thumped down on the bed in complete shock. “And you know them?”

“They were my occasional babysitters until I was 13,” Roxy explained. “Harry and I got into trouble. Kelly got us out.”

“Merlin, you’re name is Kelly?”

“Not now,” Merlin warned him. He hit a button on his clipboard that blacked out the camera in the room. He smoothed down Harry’s hair and kissed his head. “Harry wake up. Wake up for Roxy. For Eggsy. For Christmas.”

But of course he stayed sleeping.

Fuck, was all Merlin could think.

*  
“No,” Merlin said quickly as he ran over. “Must you be so fast?”

The baby gurgled at him and he scooped her up before her tiny but strong hands could tug at the tree and likely bring it down. “Harry, you were supposed to be watching her!”

“I was,” Harry was uncaring about the chaos that was about to occur. “She weighs nothing, she couldn’t have brought it down.”

Merlin rolled his eyes and picked her up. “Now tell me, Kayla, what were you thinking?”

“Blagh blargh jphwew.”

“Those are not words,” Merlin said and nuzzled her cheek. “You are such trouble.”

“You’d be bored without all of us causing you trouble.”

Merlin ignored that and took her to the kitchen to feed her pureed fruit that he had done himself, not quite trusting what was in the jars Roxy and Ginger had left for their daughter. “I first met your Mummy when she was a few years older than you. When you are old enough, do I have stories for you.”

“Roxy doesn’t want us to share,” Harry called out.

“It will be our secret,” Merlin promised Kayla. He put a little hat on her head, blue with white snowflakes - he had always kept the Christmas colour scheme Roxy had suggested so long ago. He kissed her nose. “You and I, we’re going to have lots of fun together,” Merlin promised her.

Her definition of fun was currently spitting up her fruit on him. But eventually they’d sync up on that. They had time. Just like how he and Roxy had eventually found their way together.


End file.
